


Aesthetically Pleasing

by soulofme



Series: Attractive Older Brother Aesthetic [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Attempt at Humor, Awkward Eren Yeager, Crushes, M/M, Mikasa Ackerman & Levi Are Siblings, POV Eren Yeager
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-07
Updated: 2015-09-07
Packaged: 2018-04-19 14:07:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4749164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soulofme/pseuds/soulofme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All Eren really wanted to know in life was why Mikasa had to have such an attractive brother. Because honestly, that just wasn't right.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Aesthetically Pleasing

**Author's Note:**

> I kinda wanted to write a fic about how Eren starts to have a crush on Levi so here this is. It's set a year before "wow, fantastic baby" is.

I've never been this sweaty in my entire life.

I'm at Mikasa's house for movie night. Because we're starting tenth grade next year, we decided to spend as much of ninth grade as possible together. Tenth grade is when people start to become obsessed with grades and college and all of that. So we're enjoying our last nine months of pure, blissful freedom.

Armin is sitting on the ground, flicking through the channels. Mikasa is in the kitchen, preparing snacks and drinks. And I'm on the couch next to her insanely hot brother.

Okay, that sounds gross. I hate when people use the word hot to describe someone who's attractive. I don't know why, but it's like nails on a chalkboard for me. But I figured that since some of you might relate to the whole ridiculously attractive brother of your best friend thing, I should use language that we were all familiar with. Calling him a fine specimen of the men planet Earth has to offer sounds dorky and like a compliment Armin would give to people.

And when it comes to romance, I don't want to be anything like Armin.

You see, Levi is Mikasa's brother. Which you already knew, but whatever. He's a year older than us, making him a sophomore in high school. I always wanted to have a crush on a high schooler, so having him exist is like a dream come true. I realize that I'm also a high schooler, but unfortunately I didn't have a crush on Levi in eighth grade. That would have been perfect, but oh well. Honestly, I don't know how I came up with that whole high schooler crush thing. I just thought of it when I was in seventh grade and it stuck. At first, I kinda joked with myself about it. It was never meant to become a serious, hearts in a notebook sort of crush.

But then it did, and I got really mad at myself.

Like damn, there are so many guys in school. There's Armin, for example. But he's like my little brother, so that's just weird. There's also Marco, but I'm pretty sure he's gonna marry his dog Lacy. Jean's not even an option. First of all, he looks like a horse. And secondly, he has a really obsessive crush on Mikasa. It's so obvious that I cry whenever they're in the same room together.

So, as you can see, guys that are in my grade are out. So logically, I'd have to go older. Ninth graders can't like eighth graders, you know. That's disgusting. Levi was honestly my only option for a crush. I could just  _not_  have a crush, but that's impossible for me. I fall in love with the background characters in television shows for god's sake. Of  _course_ I would have to develop a crush on someone so hopelessly out of my league.

So there I am, shoulder to shoulder with Levi Ackerman. For some reason, looking at him triggers something that my mother says about high school boys. Freshman year is when they look like boys and senior year is when they look like men. But in Levi's case, he just totally bypassed the whole boy stage. He's already got broad shoulders and he has to shave (Mikasa complains about how his hair clogs the sink in their bathroom now). Plus he has that mean face that seniors all have. You know, the face they get that shows they are just done with this whole high school thing. That's pretty sad, considering how he's only a sophomore. But hey, he wears the look of misery well.

I shouldn't like someone who has a resting bitch face. But damn it, it's an  _attractive_ bitch face. But Mikasa and Armin both think Levi's just a jerk. Sure, he's got a potty mouth and he kinda hates everyone he comes in contact in. But I think that's what makes him so enticing. Knowing that I  _can't_ have him makes my crush even bigger. It's so sad, I know.

"Hey, dumbass."

I look at him quickly and instantly regret it. My face goes flaming red as we make eye contact.

"W-What?" I stammer out.

"I'm heading out now," he says, standing up. "Tell Mikasa that I'll be home later."

"Where are you going?" I ask instantly. Levi raises an eyebrow.

"Why do you need to know?" he asks, and he leaves before I can even reply.

Just as soon as the front door closes, Mikasa comes into the room with popcorn and Coke cans.

"Levi split?" she asks. I nod.

"He said he'll be back later," I say. "I don't know where he went, though."

"No one does," Mikasa says nonchalantly. I raise both of my eyebrows.

"So...he just leaves like that?" I ask. "That's cool."

"No, that's irresponsible," Armin pipes up, grabbing a handful of popcorn. "If I had a brother like that, I'd go crazy."

"Levi will be Levi," Mikasa says. "Did you find anything good?"

"Nah," Armin says, crawling over to the couch so that he can rest his back against it. "So Eren, how long have you liked Levi?"

Mikasa and I both look at him quickly.

"You like my brother?" she asks.

"No!" I say, too quickly to be believable. "I just...admire him."

"You have a crush on him," Armin turns to grin at me. "It's painfully obvious. You're just like Jean."

"Shut up!" I hit him on the head, ignoring his shout of pain. "I don't have a crush on Levi. That's weird."

"Uh-huh," Armin scoffs. "I saw you two earlier. You looked like you were gonna explode."

"Oh my god," Mikasa says softly. "You have a crush on Levi."

"Stop it!" I screech. "How did you even notice anything? You were looking at movies."

"I've had my suspicions," Armin hums. "You would get tense whenever he was around. Then you started staring, and after that you started blushing."

"What, have you just been watching me?"

"Yeah, pretty much," Armin shrugs. "I had to know for myself. But don't worry, it'll stay between the three of us."

"Unless he decides to confess to Levi," Mikasa says slowly. "Please don't do that, though. That'll be awkward."

"It's not like I  _wanted_ to have a crush on him," I snap, irritated. "It just happened, okay?"

"Right," Armin says. "Next thing you know, you guys are gonna start a study group and share chocolates in the library."

"Stop it!" Mikasa and I both say. I'm embarrassed by the mental image and Mikasa looks like she's about to puke all over the popcorn bowl. I move it just in case, shooting Armin a dirty look as he cackles from his spot on the floor.

* * *

 As the weeks go on, my crush gets worse. Honestly, it's total bull. There I was, thinking it couldn't get much worse. And then bam! It gets worse. My friends aren't really helping either. Armin teases me every chance he gets and Mikasa keeps looking at me like I murdered someone she loved. It's not my fault her brother is attractive, okay?

Alright, maybe I should accept some responsibility for the crush. But that's all it is! A silly, itty bitty crush. I'll get over it soon enough. I just need some time...and distance.  _Lots_ of distance. Maybe I should move to Canada...

I'm broken out of my thoughts when the front door slams shut. I'm over at Mikasa's house yet again (she and Armin are pretty much my only friends, so I alternate between their houses). She had gone to the corner store to get some more peanut butter for our sandwiches, so I'm assuming that's her.

I stand up to greet her when Levi steps into the kitchen. My heart seizes up in my chest and I have to grip the counter to stop myself from swaying. I can hear the blood pulsing in my ears and I'm suddenly hyper aware of what I look like. I  _really_ have to stop throwing on the first clean clothes I see. I probably look like shit, and since Levi's looking at me now he's probably judging me extra hard. Great going, Jaeger.

"Where's Mikasa?" he asks.

"She went out to get peanut butter," I say, congratulating myself on not stuttering. "She should be back soon."

"Cool," Levi says. He looks at my shirt. "You like Fall Out Boy?"

I instantly look down at my faded grey shirt.

"Not really," I say, attempting to lean coolly on the counter. "I mean, they'reokay." _  
_

Levi shrugs, padding over to the fridge.

"They're my favorite," he says casually.

I stand up straight, banging my elbow hard on the counter as I do.

"Are you serious?" I say. To be honest, I have an unhealthy obsession with them. But I wasn't sure if Levi liked them or not. I didn't want to look like a loser, you know?

"Yeah," Levi nods. "I'm more of on obscure indie band kind of guy, but I like their music."

"What's your favorite song?" I ask before I can think. Great, now he's going to think I'm weird for asking about a band I supposedly have no interest in.

"The Phoenix," he says. "You?"

I nearly make some a really gross sound of excitement. What are the odds that his favorite song would be mine too?

"Same," I say, trying to contain my huge smile. "Awesome song, right?"

Levi pops the tab of his Coke can and takes a small sip, smirking at me.

"I mean, it's okay," he says, and it's then that I realize he's making fun of me.

My cheeks go flaming red and he snickers to himself as he disappears down the hallway. When Mikasa steps into the kitchen a full five minutes later, she sighs loudly.

"Levi?" she asks.

"Levi," I confirm.

* * *

The months go by with the same kind of pattern: I daydream about Levi, he interacts with me, I blush, and Mikasa loses more faith in the world.

It's about a week until the end of freshman year when I decide that I'm tried of silently crushing on him.

When I announce my plan to confess my feelings, Armin smacks his forehead and Mikasa groans. Tough crowd, I know. But I think that they're supportive. I heard them talking about it at lunch but I was too focused on extracting my plan to pay much attention.

"So what exactly are you going to do?" Mikasa asks. We're all in my room, chilling out before we head over to Mikasa's for movie night.

"I'm just going to say it," I reply honestly. 

"Great idea," Armin claps, and it sounds a little sarcastic to me. "What if he-"

"Nope!" I press my hands to my ear. Armin rolls his eyes.

"You have to look at both sides Eren," he says.

"I'll cross that bridge when I get to it," I tell him.

"Oh wait," Mikasa speaks up. "You know how they sent out our schedules for sophomore year?"

"Yeah?" I ask, not really sure how that fits into our current conversation. "What about it?"

"Levi's gym period got messed up," she smirks at me, and I vaguely wonder if smirking runs in the veins of the Ackerman family or something. Like seriously, they all do it the same way. "So he's gonna be with us for gym next year."

"Oh  _hell_ no," I say, and Armin throws his hands up in the air.

"See? Now you  _have_ to make sure you don't mess up," he says.

"You're going to be seeing a lot of him next year," Mikasa warns me. "I'd be very careful if I were you."

"You guys aren't being very helpful," I whine, and they both exchange a look.

Fast forward a few hours and I'm standing in front of Levi in the kitchen.

Before I send myself to an early grave, I think about how good this house has been to me. When I studied here with Mikasa, I got my first perfect score on a math test (which was sad since I was in seventh grade, but whatever). The living room was where I finally conquered my insane fear of horror movies. The bathroom was where I found the necklace my mother had given to me on my fifth birthday. And, of course, the hallway was where I met Levi for the first time. So many memories are etched into a house that doesn't even belong to me, and here I am about to potentially mess that all up.

God help me.

"Levi," I begin, squaring my shoulders and nodding at him. "I have to tell you something."

Levi raises an eyebrow, milk jug halfway up to his mouth. If it had been anyone else, I would have been grossed out.

"Okay...? Go ahead."

My heart begins hammering in my chest.

"Well, there's no easy way to tell you this," I nod to myself. "I find you aesthetically pleasing."

There's a full seven seconds of silence between us before I realize my error. Great, I sounded just like Armin there! I had spent all night rehearsing the perfect words to say, and now I've just screwed it all up.

Levi blinks at me before he sighs.

"I fucking hate little kids," he says.

"I'm not a little kid," I say.

"Yeah? Well you have the maturity of one," he shakes his head. "Do you seriously think that shit is funny? Grow up, Jaeger. People stopped doing that whole thing in middle school."

"Uh, what?" I ask, bewildered. "What are you talking about?"

"I know what this is," he frowns. "My sister and Armin dared you to say you thought I was cute or some shit, right? And now you're going to go back and laugh about it, aren't you? God, so fucking immature."

Before I can reply he walks off, leaving me to gape at the spot where he once stood. Someone begins to pat my shoulder, and when I turn around Armin is giving me a sympathetic look.

"I'm sorry," he says solemnly. I look at Mikasa, who tilts her head to the side.

"Oh yeah," she says thoughtfully. "Did I mention that Levi is really dense?"

"MIKASA!"

* * *

So remember earlier when I mentioned how some of you guys could relate to this whole attractive brother of your friend thing? Well, here's a little tip for you all: make sure the guy can take a damn hint. Also, make sure that you don't have an Armin in your life. His dorky, odd phrases  _will_ rub off on you. Seriously. It will help in the long run. 

Now if you excuse me, I'm going to lock myself in my room and think of dream Levi. At least  _that_ Levi wasn't so freaking obtuse.


End file.
